


Silent Proposal

by Phandabbydosey



Series: Deaf Dan Oneshots [2]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Deaf, Deaf Character, Deaf Dan, Disability, Disabled Character, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Sign Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 04:38:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9368222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phandabbydosey/pseuds/Phandabbydosey
Summary: From this prompt - 'Can you write a phanfic where Phil takes Dan out to dinner (or any place you prefer) and forgets his ear pieces and doesn’t know Phil is going to propose so Phil has to sign will you marry me to Dan?'





	

**Author's Note:**

> The sign language at the end of this is actually ASL rather than BSL (which Dan would logically be using) because 'I love you' is much cuter in ASL so fight me.
> 
> My tumblr is phandabbydosey if you would rather read this over there :D

Phil hadn’t thought it was possible, but Dan seemed to have gotten even worse with his hearing aids.

Dan had taken to wearing them less around the house, complaining that they’d make his ears ache when he fell asleep on the sofa wearing them. Phil had suggested not staying up until the early hours of the morning as a better solution, but Dan insisted his idea was better. It didn’t bother Phil that much, he could communicate fine with Dan via sign language and got endless entertainment with thinking of creative ways to get Dan’s attention when he was focused on the tv or his laptop. His favourite so far had to be the water balloon, purely for the - rather feminine - squeal Dan had released when Phil had dropped it right onto his head from behind.

Unfortunately, the fact that they weren’t in his ears at all time meant Dan was even more liable to forgetting them, especially when they were in a rush. In the past month, they’d already had to delay a radio show while Dan sped home to get his hearing aids and Phil had needed to sign throughout more than a few important meetings. But they managed and Phil let Dan do what he wanted with his hearing aids because Dan needed his independance. For the first twelve years of his life, Dan had needed to rely totally on other people to hear for him. If he was left without someone who knew sign language he would be completely lost, having to rely on his sketchy lip reading skills to follow a conversation he had no way to involve himself with.

When Phil had first decided to move in with Dan, Dan’s mother had pulled him aside to tell him how important it was to let Dan be in charge when it came to his hearing aids, that he needed to be in control of his hearing. Even after all the years of being able to hear fine, it could still get a little overwhelming for Dan sometimes, so Phil knew he had to let Dan leave his hearing aids out if he wanted, no matter how inconvenient it could get or how crappy Dan’s excuse was. Phil hadn’t fully understood why Dan would want to go back to being deaf, even for just a few hours, but he trusted Dan’s mum to know best and, after a few months of living alone with Dan, he’d gotten used to the strange behaviour.

It had been around the time things were getting really big that Dan had started leaving his hearing aids out more and Phil theorised it was just to get some peace from their increasingly hectic lives. Though of course, Dan would never admit that he struggled to cope with everything sometimes. He was much proud for that. Luckily he wasn’t too proud to retreat into Phil’s arms for a cuddle when he needed it.

 

——————–

 

Dan was just lounging on the sofa, watching an old rerun of a sitcom he’d seen countless times, when he felt the presence of someone behind him. “I may be deaf but I know you’re there,” he said, his words a little malformed since he wasn’t wearing his hearing aids. They’d had a busy day down at the BBC offices, going through plans for what Dan and Phil would be doing at the upcoming Reading Festival, and Dan was just after some quiet. He didn’t fancy one of Phil’s crazy attention grabbing schemes, something that usually left Dan wet, sticky or with a new bruise somewhere on his head.

Huffing, Phil dropped the bouncy balls he’d been planning to throw and walked around the sofa, settling down next to Dan and pulling the younger boy in for a hug. “What did you want anyway?” Dan moved over to sign language now that he knew Phil could clearly see his hands, “Was there a reason you disrupted my peace?”

Dan felt Phil’s body shake slightly with laughs he couldn’t hear and smiled, his eyes watching Phil’s hands as they formed out words. “I did have a reason actually. I know we’ve had a full day, but we’re always so busy lately and we haven’t been out for ages. So, wanna go out for a meal?”

Dan thought for a moment, considering signing a no so he could go to bed early, but Phil was right. They hadn’t just gone out to enjoy themselves for a long time and a meal out sounded like a nice way to wind down. “Sure, I’m going to go have a shower first though. I always get disgustingly sweaty in the BBC offices.” After a chuckle and a kiss from Phil, Dan stood up and headed off to the bathroom, grabbing his hearing aids off the table and sipping them into his jeans pocket so he didn’t forget them later.

Forty minutes later, Phil had phoned his and Dan’s favourite restaurant to make sure their reservation was still in place, constantly tapping his pockets to make sure he still had the little velvet box, and changed into a plain white shirt and clean black jeans. He smiled up at Dan as he came back into the living room, looking absolutely dazzling with his hair straightened to perfection and a new outfit which hugged his lean body in all the right places. “You look gorgeous,” he signed, grinning when he saw the blush tint Dan’s cheeks a gentle crimson, “Let’s get going.”

Hand’s entwined, the boys headed out of the flat and towards their car, Phil trying to ignore the butterflies that had hatched in his stomach. The drive was in silence, Dan still not having put his hearing aids in and Phil, obviously, not being able to sign while he was driving. They were both content though, Phil focusing on the road rather than his nerves and Dan just enjoying watching the world flash past in a blur of light and colour. Once they arrived and parked, Phil looked at Dan and tapped his ear, a silent request for Dan to put his hearing aids in.

Dan nodded and reached into his pocket, freezing after a moment and biting his lip. Phil groaned and closed his eyes, knowing Dan well enough by now to realise what had happened. No hearing aids.

He opened his eyes again when he felt Dan shaking his arm, looking into a pair of apologetic brown eyes. “I’m sorry,” he signed quickly, still chewing on his bottom lip roughly, “I put them in my pocket so I didn’t forget them but then I changed my jeans. I’m so sorry.”

Phil looked at Dan’s face and signed, knowing there was no way he’d be able stay mad at him. “It’s okay,” he signed back with a gentle smile, “We don’t have time to go back and get them though, we’ll miss the reservation. Guess it’ll just have to be a signing night.” Dan signed out another apology and kissed Phil’s cheek, giving him a sheepish smile before slipping out of the car. Phil checked his pocket one more time then followed suit.

 

——————-

 

Despite the only words being said out loud were those spoken to waiter, Dan and Phil had an amazing night. They were in fits of laughter between courses, Phil having shush Dan every now and then when his laughter got too loud without him knowing. This, of course, just made them both laugh more.

After a delicious, if slightly sickly, dessert, a comfortable silence fell between the couple. The room had darkened along with the sky outside and now it was lit with a warm light, accompanied by a slight flicker from the candles scattered across the tables. Phil could see the reflections of the flames dancing in Dan’s eyes, his brown irises looking like smooth honey in the gentle lighting. Dan looked at Phil and smiled, a dark shadow being cast by the dimple that pressed into his cheek while his teeth shone a dazzling white. Dan looked absolutely stunning and Phil felt his heart swell with love as he looked at him.

Raising his hands and watching Dan’s eyes lower to focus on them, Phil slowly started to sign through the speech he’d rehearsed countless times, his movements slow and deliberate so Dan didn’t miss any of it. He had to skip a few bits he didn’t know how to sign properly, but he knew he could get his message across.

“Daniel Howell, the boy who stalked me online and kept me up all night on Skype, I can honestly say that I have never loved anyone as much as you. Even if you’re a little shit with your hearing aids and are the clumsiest boy alive, you’re the most perfect, the funniest and the most beautiful person I’ve ever met and I want to spend the rest of my life with you,”

Slipping the out of his seat and getting down onto his knee in front of a wide-eyed Dan, Phil smiled and lifted his hands again. They were shaking badly out of nerves but he managed to form the shapes that represented the words, “Will you marry me?” and present the shining silver ring.

Dan didn’t move for a long moment, his throat convulsing a little a he swallowed around the lump that had formed in his throat. He lifted his hands but they were shaking even more than Phil’s had been, so much that he didn’t have a hope in hell of forming coherent signs.

Phil suddenly found himself flat on the floor, under Dan’s body , Dan’s arms wrapped around his neck. “Y-Yes. Yes yes oh fucking god yes!” Dan’s words were garbled and his voice was choked with emotion, but Phil knew what he was saying. He was saying yes. He was saying yes.

Phil pulled away from hug but immediately leant closer again, pressing his lips against Dan’s and kissing him deeply as an ‘awww’ echoed around the restaurant.

Once they finally pulled apart, Dan’s smile bright enough to light up the room, Phil slipped the simple but beautiful ring onto Dan’s slender finger, admiring the way it looked against the tanned skin. Dan seemed to be doing the same, looking awestruck by the tiny diamonds inlaid into the silver.

Huge smiles on both of their faces, the fiances got to their feet, hands clasped together and the new ring reflecting the candlelight. Phil raised his free hand, lifted his index finger, thumb and pinky finger then twisted his hand twice. Giggling, Dan reciprocated the sign then kissed Phil again.

“I love you.”

 


End file.
